Crescent

Background information

The Crescent Conservation Area lies on the A6 corridor, on the south bank of the River Irwell. The area is closely associated with The Adelphi/Bexley Square Conservation Area in that they both contain townhouses built by entrepreneurs and businessmen who could be relatively close to their city centre businesses.

The conservation area is bounded by the River Irwell to the north, Oldfield Road to the east, Hulme Street and the main railway line from Manchester to the south and Salford University Campus to the west.

The Royal Art Gallery and Museum was built originally as an extension to Lark Hill House which once stood on the top of the escarpment overlooking Peel Park. It was the first unconditionally-free public library established by a municipal authority in Great Britain and it opened in January 1850.

The Statues of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, situated on the lawn in front of the Art Gallery, commemorate their royal visit to Salford in 1851. Joule House in Acton Square was the home of James Prescott Joule who gave his name to the electrical unit of work.

Update

The crescent of houses, from which the road and conservation area derive their names, were renovated in the recent past and stand as a monument to the entrepreneurs who lived there and helped the city to prosper. The Royal Art Gallery and Museum housed the Lowry Heritage Visitor Centre until it was relocated to a purpose-building arts centre at Salford Quays in 2000. The building still contains a life-sized street "Lark Hill Place', the first of its kind in a museum. The imposing Peel Building nearby is part of the University of Salford (Crescent Campus).

Joule House, together with other listed buildings in Acton Square, have been enhanced by the implementation of a pedestrianisation scheme which includes the provision of seating areas. The former Fire Station now houses the Viewpoint Gallery and the Harold Riley Archive.

This page was last updated on 26 September 2011